Pyromania
by SkyTreader52
Summary: Harry discovers something that gets him thinking about what he really wants. A flame or warmth? A story based off of love and fire, and a love of fire. Starts out as H/G but also H/Hr.
1. A Flame vs Warmth

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. No really, I'm serious! **

**A/N: Takes place during 6th year but nothing is really the same as in the book. Harry and Ginny get together in the same way(he kisses her after a game) but this happens earlier in the year I believe. And bear with my sense of humor, if you can call it that, since this is simply suppose to be for fun with no real plan so far.**

**A Flame**

I can't say that it was love but I was certainly enjoying snogging Ginny. Ever since I lost control and kissed her(in front of Gryffindor House, I might add) we've been an "item." It's great to feel like a normal teenager for once, I've got a girlfriend and can snog her whenever I want without worrying about some psychotic Dark Lord.

Ginny is everything I could've hope for in a girlfriend; she's...ahem..._pretty_(ask any guy and get their descriptive words), she's athletic, fiery(though I dread the day I'm the one she's angry with), a great kisser, intoxicating... and she's mine! Yep, life was good.

People didn't seem to be surprised that we ended up together but some seemed to be...well, as said by them, 'I didn't think you two'd last this long, honestly. I mean, I knew you'd get together but-I don't know, I just didn't think you'd last.' I've thanked my roommates(namely Seamus, Dean, and I suspect Neville) profusely for their faith in my ability to keep up a relationship longer than a couple weeks. I've tried asking them why they thought we wouldn't last, but I never got a real answer. I thanked them again.

Their doubt had been eating away at me for a few days now and, for some reason, I couldn't shake this odd feeling. I _needed_ to know why. And I finally had my chance to force it out of one of them! Usually they were in a group, greater numbers equal greater power, but now, now Neville was on his lonesome in our dorm. He will crack like a dried up twig! Now I'm sounding like a psychopath too...I wonder if that was how Tommy came to be Voldemort, his friends doubting his relationsh-Merlin Harry! You're mental!

I shook my head as if I could rattle everything into place as I approached Neville.

"Hey, Neville," I said cheerfully.

Neville jumped off the bed he had been sitting on and spun around to face me.

"Harry!" He let out a breath of relief. "Don't do that, you know how jumpy I am!"

"Sorry my dear friend, I must have forgotten," I grinned at him.

His eyes narrowed as he took a step away from me. My grin didn't falter.

"W-what?" he stammered.

"Oh, nothing really." I shrugged and waited a moment. "I just wanted to talk."

"Talk? About what?" He was definitely on guard.

I shrugged again and nonchalantly said, "Relationships, say...Ginny's and mine?"

Realization dawned as his eyes widen and he started to fidget. I knew he was on _their_ side!

"Er-I don't think that I'm, well, the person to talk to. I mean, I don't have any experience with that sorta stuff...you know that," he tripped, stumbled, and fell over his words. He was inching his way towards the door.

"Yes, well maybe that'll be of some help," I stated as I moved so he couldn't get pass, the beds and myself forming a barrier. He noticed.

"Uh, Harry, I can't-I mean, I don't know...er...I don't think I would be much help with any...problems."

"Oh there are no problems but that seems to be the problem."

"What? Harry, I-"

"Neville, come on, just tell me. I don't see the big deal, I just want to know what you guys are thinking," I watched him as I spoke. He was avoiding my eyes and wringing his hands. "Why don't you want to tell me?"

"Well I don't want to cause anything...between you and Ginny I mean. If you guys have a good relationship I don't want to plant anything in your head..."

Plant in my head? What is it already! "Don't worry about that, just tell me."

"Erm, well it's actually an odd thing..." What _wasn't_ odd anymore, I wondered. "You see it's just that she's more...er, lively, she's always very energetic...she always needs to be doing something..." He paused to judge my expression which I suspect to be expectant, he wasn't making much sense. "Well the thing is, I figured-we figured you'd want something, someone, more subdued. You know, can be lively an active but also likes to be quiet and...still, relaxed. Erm...this may sound odd but I figured you'd, well after what you've been through, I figured you'd want to settle down and have a normal, quiet life as soon a possible."

"I do but what does that have to do with anything?" I asked as I sat down on a bed, arms crossed over my chest. I was getting irritated, he better start making sense.

He hesitantly followed suit and sat down on the opposite bed. "Well, do you think you could settle down with Ginny...I-I mean not in years but as soon as possible?"

"Of course I could! Why wouldn't I be able to!?" I realized that I was now gripping the edge of the bed tightly as if to prevent myself from launching up and out of the room. I studied him with confusion and annoyance and noticed that he didn't seem to believe my answer and was waiting for me to rethink it. What was there to rethink? I could settle down with Ginny. If we keep going the way we were, I didn't see why not.

"Harry, could Ginny?"

His quiet words struck me, these words meant something different. Could Ginny settle down with me? Yes, she could._ 'As soon as possible?' _Neville's earlier question sounded in my head. Yes, she could... I began to think about Ginny and how Neville was right about how lively she was. Would she be able to settle down right after Hogwarts? Yes...I think so. I knew she wanted to do so much and was capable of much and I realized that she wouldn't be as willing to settle for a quiet life so early in her life. She-

"I don't think that really matters though. I mean, if you guys do want to be together than you'll figure things out and figure out a way to make both of you happy... And it's not like you have to end up marrying your first girlfriend, well, first _real_ girlfriend," Neville interrupted my thoughts with somewhat comforting words.

Yeah, it wasn't set in stone that we'd end up together forever and if we did, well we would figure everything out. I smiled slightly as I felt relief wash over me, the anxiety that I didn't know I was having ebbed away.

"But-" Great, now what? "there is more to a relationship than snogging," Neville stated, he seemed to be gaining more confidence. I seemed to be losing confidence.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, my grip on the bed causing my fingers to ache.

"Do you and Ginny ever talk about things? Besides Quidditch and her family?"

"Well-"

"Do you ever just say kind things to each other?"

"I-"

"Do you ever go for a walk around the lake just to be with one another without anyone else, no snogging sessions along the way? Have you ever comforted each other? Have you ever just cuddled?" Neville rambled off the questions and I felt as though each were condemning me further.

I was in shock. Neville having such knowledge about relationships? Was it possible? Could he be right? I couldn't say a thing as I stared at him. Surprisingly, he retained his confidence.

Finally, I blinked several times and spoke, "Those things aren't needed in a new relationship. I mean, me and Ginny have only been going out... a couple... months..." No. No, we should be at that stage. I can't believe it!

Neville simply raised his eyebrows and shrugged as if to say 'Whatever you say.' Brilliant! Thanks Neville! Now I'm _completely_ confused! I thought I had a good relationship and you strike it down!

I did force him to tell me though. And he said he didn't want to cause any trouble. Plus, this could probably help Ginny's and my relationship... Yeah!

"Thank you, Neville!" I exclaimed as I jumped up and ran from the room in search of Ginny.

I'll find Ginny and prove that, well, we can have a-er-mature relationship! Yes, that's it!

I stumbled down into the common room and grinned as I saw Ginny talking, rather animatedly, with some friends on the couch. I walked up behind her and leaned over the back of the couch and softly kissed her temple. She giggled and turned to me, smiling brightly.

"Harry, if you're going to kiss me, kiss me properly!" With that she kissed me full on the lips. I didn't mind but I came down here for a reason.

I gently pulled away. At seeing her confusion, I beamed to reassure her that nothing was wrong. At least I didn't think anything was wrong.

"You look lovely," I complimented and a round of giggles circled through her group of friends.

"Why thank you!" she replied enthusiastically.

"Want to go for a walk? Around the lake?" I asked, I was going to prove that we could go for a walk without the need to snog to keep us entertained. We would talk, yes, we'd talk.

Another giggle. "Harry, it's almost curfew!" she countered though I could tell that she really didn't care about curfew.

"Oh we'll be back in time. Come on." I motioned for her to follow me and she bid farewell to her giggling friends and joined me, grasping my hand.

I grinned down at her. This'll prove it.

**Vs. Warmth**

I collapsed on the couch in the common room a few minutes after curfew. It didn't mean a thing. It proves nothing. Sure we didn't talk much, I tried, really, but she didn't seem too interested in talking. Every time I'd ask a question she'd answer it in the most simple way, shrug, or answer with the question of 'Why?' After awhile I even tried to talk about the things we usually talked about, Quidditch and her family but she wasn't too interested in that either. She kept trying to snog me, not that I minded-actually, yes. Yes, I minded! I was trying to talk to her and all she could think of was kissing me!

I was fuming. My brilliant roommates and their brilliant doubts. Brilliant Neville and his brilliant relationship ideals. Brilliant me and my brilliant, aching hands! I realized that not only had I been gripping the edge of a bed in the dorm room, but also my free hand was clenched in a fist as I walked with Ginny, and now one hand was in a fist on my thigh while the other was gripping the corner of a pillow.

Footsteps on the stairs caught my attention as I turned, hoping it wasn't Ginny. Hoping it was no one. Actually, I hoped it was-

"Hermione!" That's scary. Maybe I can just hope that my relationship problems, too new to be healthy, would disappear.

She laughed softly and my aching hands relinquished their grasp. "Very good, Harry. Do you think that deserves some house points?"

I grinned as she descended the rest of the stairs and continued towards me. "Any points would be helpful, Merlin only knows what excuses Snape will come up with to deduct more."

She laughed again as she sat down on the opposite side of the couch to half-lay down, bringing her feet to rest on the cushion a few inches away from where I was sitting. I casually grabbed her feet and set them on my lap, it was a common position for us.

"Yes, well I don't believe that it'll help much to award you any points. He'd surely find out about it and deduct twice as much."

I chuckled, it wasn't often that she would openly joke about a teacher and I enjoyed being the one to bring it out of her.

"So why are you up? You're not having nightmares again, are you?" worry was evident in her voice as she spoke and even clearer in her eyes.

"No. No nightmares," I quickly replied as I absentmindedly traced patterns on her feet.

She looked relieved but concern was still in her eyes. "What is it then?"

I averted my eyes to watch my hands move over her feet. "It's just...Did you think that me and Ginny would last this long?" I turned back to her and saw shock spring up in her revealing eyes.

She didn't answer for a few moments before speaking, "This long? What do you mean? You've only been going out a couple months or so. What's going on?"

I noted that she didn't really answer my question. "Do you think that Ginny is too lively for me? Do you think that our relationship is too...immature for how long we've been together?"

She was quiet again for awhile. "Immature in what way?"

No answer again. Merlin she's just trying to avoid telling me the same as Neville!

"We don't-er-talk about too much really, we don't cuddle, we don't spend time with each other just to be together minus the snogging, and...stuff like that."

She seemed to ponder this before speaking, "Well, maybe you're just making up for all the time you've lost to just be a normal, hormonal teenager." She didn't look like she believed herself, or was it her keeping up a business-like appearance? Then she sat up, drawing her feet off my lap to sit cross-legged as she watched me. Her features softened slightly into a more...sincere Hermione. "Look, Harry, I don't know what's best for you. No one does except for you. Only you know what's best for you. My parents told me that almost every day when I was growing up and I took it to heart. So _you_ have to decide if Ginny is too 'lively' for you or if your relationship is too immature and you have to do something about it if you don't like the answer."

I stared into her eyes and soaked in her words. I have to decide.

"I tried to just talk to her as we took a walk but she didn't want to, no matter what topic I tried." I looked down at my empty hands in my lap and sighed.

She took on of my hands and I looked up to her. She was smiling at me sadly. "I didn't know that type of thing bothered you."

I didn't either. I never noticed before, so why did it bother me now? I frowned as I figured that Neville was right, he planted something in my head.

I felt her gently stroking my hand and looked down to our hands entwined. Something clicked in the back of my head but the information hadn't reached my conscious thoughts yet and I sat trying to bring it forward but it was like trying to remember the name of a neighbor from your childhood that you never fully knew. I sighed again and let my head fall back against the couch.

"I didn't either, 'til recently," I murmured.

She gave a squeeze to my hand and rubbed my shoulder consolingly. "You'll figure it out, Harry," she stated and placed a soft kiss on my cheek, as was routine these days. Standing up, she gazed down at me for a moment and I lifted my head to gaze back. "You'll find the warmth you seek in that flame of a girl." She grinned and affectionately ran her fingers through my hair as she walked past me to the stairs and disappeared.

Then it struck me. It didn't bother me before because I already had it, everything, only it was Hermione that offered the talks, comfort, company, kind words, and cuddles. Ginny was the flame; Hermione, the warmth. I had both but when I realized that it wasn't all coming from Ginny, my girlfriend, I tried to find what I was sure was there, sure I had felt before, but it turned out to be Hermione, she held the warmth that a single flame couldn't produce.

That's what it was. Ginny was a flame, a single flame. Hermione was warmth, all around warmth. With Ginny I felt a flickering, a burning, a...desire. With Hermione I felt a constant, comforting, comfortable, _warmth_. I had been happy with it split between the two but now that I knew...I don't think I could bare it.

I was going to have a headache in the morning and a hell of a day tomorrow, but one last thought presented itself as I made my way up to bed: I wanted fire.

**A/N: There you have it. Another story started with many others waiting to be continued. I hope you enjoyed it.**

**The basic idea of this is that every chapter, everything, will be based off of something relating to fire. This didn't turn out as I first imagined but I didn't have a plan to start with so...**


	2. Flammable

**A/N: I forgot to mention that Ron and Hermione aren't together just to be clear. And that Voldemort has been defeated. **

**Flammable**

I was right; I had a headache. I was stumbling down the stairs while rubbing my head and the only thing I could think of was my strange dream. Everything was consumed in fire; a harmless fire that wrapped about me. I remember the warm content feeling but also the burning desire...the love.

I stopped as my back went rigid. _Love? _What-

"Oi! Move Harry! I'm hungry an' I don't want to miss breakfast!" Ron's complaints caused me to stumble down the rest of the stairs, nearly falling over myself, and jumble my thoughts further.

I turned to see Ron coming down the stairs grumbling to himself. I shook my head and groaned at the pain.

We made our way out into the halls and down to the Great Hall, grumbling the whole way. As we walked to our table I abruptly stopped, my dream and the previous days events came back to me as I stared at Ginny and Hermione chatting.

Flame. Warmth. Fire.

"There you are, Harry! Did you guys oversleep again?" I nodded dumbly as a cheerful Ginny pulled me into the seat next to her and across from Hermione. I gulped.

"We were just talking about you," Hermione said with a soft smile.

"Were you?" I managed, somewhat anxiously, through my surprise.

"Yeah," Ginny spoke this time, forcing me to look to her. "About how you and I should spend more time together."

I blinked. "Oh." This is what I wanted wasn't it? Why am I not thrilled? I look to Hermione and see her soft smile still in place. Hermione was happy with this, Ginny and me working on getting closer. I wanted this, I want my girlfriend to be more. I want my girlfriend to be my best friend instead of just my snogging partner. Right? ...Or did I want my best friend to be my snogging partner; my girlfriend?

I raked a hand through my hair as if hoping the gesture would pull out all thoughts.

"Something wrong Harry?" Ginny asked and I heard a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Er... Headache," I answer, rubbing my temple.

"Aww. Poor thing." Ginny pouted slightly in concern as she reached out and ran her hand through my hair. It wasn't much help... For some reason I was reminded of Hermione running her hand through my hair last night and I felt a strange longing. _Her_ hand felt soothing and right, not Ginny's.

I shook my head and Ginny pulled her hand back, a hurt expression on her face. I usually would have offered some sort of apologetic word or smile but instead I let my head drop into my hands. Things were becoming even more confusing.

"Here." The soft word was accompanied by a soft hand on my arm.

I lifted my head up slightly to see Hermione holding up an vial. I took it and looked at it confusedly for a moment.

"It's for headaches. Take it. It'll help in a moment or two," Hermione explained and I obediently opened it and downed it.

As promised, my headache subsided within moments. I simply stared at the empty vial for a moment before looking back to Hermione.

She shrugged and answered my unasked question in a dismissive voice. "I carry a couple with me for when I stay up too late studying or something."

I nodded and thanked her before filling up my plate with food. As I picked at my food-my stomach too knotted to take in food- I realized my mind was cloudy and knew it wasn't a side effect of Hermione's potion but rather my fuzzy, mixed-up thoughts.

I remained quiet throughout breakfast and nobody seemed to notice, thankfully. Ginny was eating and chatting with a classmate about a preposterous assignment, Ron was breathing in his food, and Hermione was munching on a piece of toast as she read a book. I continued to stare at her for awhile without realizing it and began to smile. Hermione was so... I don't know. I can't think of the right way to describe her. I don't think there is.

She glanced up as she took a sip of her juice and caught me looking at her. I jerked up slightly, startled. Smiling back, she gave me an odd look before returning to her book. I could tell she was suppressing a laugh.

Classes went by slowly and I dragged myself to each class with more and more questions on my mind. Why doesn't Ginny like to just talk? Will she? Is this whole "spending more time together thing" actually going to help? Why do I feel more comfortable around Hermione? Would Ginny settle down? Ever? I bet Hermione would, wouldn't she? Why am I wondering if Hermione would? Why can't I stop thinking about Hermione? If things don't work out, would I be able to break up with Ginny? Would she hate me? Could we be friends? Will I have to break up with her? Why has Hermione been so quiet lately? What is the ingredient needed after eye of newt? Does Hermione know that she bits her lip when concentrating on a potion(or anything else) or when worried, or thoughtful, or writing, or- Is the potion suppose to be brown? Was it counterclockwise or clockwise? Why does Hermione always try to save my potions? How does she know how to? How are her hands so soft? Does Hermione ever expect a 'thank you'? What would she do if I kissed her?

I jerked myself out of my thoughts causing my body to jerk too, which made me splash some of the potion I was stirring onto the table.

"Harry," Hermione's voice whispered in warning. "Careful."

I gulped and nodded forcing myself not to look at her, trying to erase the image of me kissing her from my mind. The more I tried the more brightly it shown and soon I felt a warmth in my chest and a tingling in my fingertips. I gulped again and controlled the urge to reach over and recreate the image in reality.

The class ended and my potion was a failure even with Hermione's continuous help. The truth is that the more she helped the more I lost control because to help she had to lean closer or take my hand to stir properly. Hermione gave me an apologetic look and I shrugged sheepishly.

As the rest of the classes passed, my mind was still filled with multiplying questions but I had shook the nervousness of being around Hermione by repetitively telling myself that this was Hermione, my best friend, the person closest to me, my warmth, and I assured myself that these sort of questions were normal(I don't know how I came to that conclusion but it worked) and though I felt more aware of myself and Hermione when we were around each other, I was alright again.

Later that night, Hermione, Ron, and I were in the library while Ginny was elsewhere with her friends. Evidently spending more time together was to start later.

Ron sighed and grumbled for the hundredth time before standing up quickly. "Come on, Harry, let's go play some wizards' chess. What ya say?" he asked enthusiastically, sure I would want to escape this place as much as him.

I looked to Hermione and saw her reading a book(as usual) as if she was oblivious to the two of us. I didn't much like the idea of being beaten to a pulp in chess and I wanted to stay with Hermione longer. Now that I've spent all day with questions in my head and after realizing that she was "my warmth" I wanted to watch how we interacted more and maybe ask some questions, get her opinion.

"Go ahead Ron. I don't feel up to chess tonight but don't let me hinder your escape," I said with a smile.

Ron chuckled. "It's not a very effective escape plan if you blab it out loud, mate."

"Yeah. Yeah. Just go already," I replied, chuckling with him, as I turned back to the table and Hermione. She had a small smile on her face and I knew she was, again, struggling to keep from laughing.

"Right. Well, see you guys." With that he left the library.

I continued to watch Hermione and saw her smile slowly fade away. A few moments later, she spoke up, not taking her eyes off her book.

"You were rather quiet today."

"Er-Yeah," I replied a little shocked.

Her eyes flickered up to me before returning to her book. She wanted an explanation not a confirmation of her observation.

"I-er...I was just think about stuff," I mumbled.

She looked up at me and then slowly closed her book and sat in on the table.

"Harry, I'm sorry if you didn't want me to talk to Ginny. You just seemed so down and I wanted to try and help," her eyes were worried and she was watching me anxiously.

What, did she think I was mad at her?

"No, Hermione, it's not that. I'm not mad at you or anything. I mean, I'm glad you care enough to try and help. I was just... thinking. Just thinking about loads of things. About Ginny and I and-" I quickly stopped myself. "Eh-Nothing to worry about. I'll figure things out. But really, thanks for talking to Gin. Who knows, maybe she'll realize how boring I am and I won't have to feel guilty about possibly having to break up with her." I said the last part as a joke but Hermione seemed to take it seriously. Her eyes widened and a determined look took her features.

"Harry, you are _not_ boring. Quite the contrary." At these words I felt a warmth touch my cheeks and a rejoicing inside. "And I'm sure you won't need to break up with Ginny. Where'd that thought come from?" My cheeks turned cold and the rejoicing was smothered, she really did want me to stay with Ginny didn't she?

I stuttered a moment before clearing my throat and answering, "I was joking, Hermione. No worries." I feigned a grin and cursed the sickening constriction in my throat. It seemed that tonight I wouldn't being asking any of my questions.

After skeptically looking me over, Hermione went back to her book and I let out a shaky breath. I watched her as I thought. I needed to be around Ginny more, maybe that will help answer some questions. Maybe I'm making a big deal out of nothing and I'm just being stupid about everything. Could these feeling for Hermione be imagined? I don't like these turn of events. Just a couple days ago I was content and happy with life and now it's all jumbled. Was that such a bad thing? Maybe I'm just seeing things clearer. Maybe these feelings for Hermione are real, more real that anything I feel for Ginny even. I shook my head. Don't think like that. Ginny's your girlfriend. You got together for a reason. I nodded firmly.

My eyes focused on Hermione again and an odd jittery feeling spread through me. Everything in and around me felt very strange and new. Everything was very flammable.

**A/N: As always it took way too long to update but here it is nonetheless. I got stuck early in this chapter and finally I just started writing and let it go where it please(which is what usually happens). I hope it was somewhat enjoyable and not very confusing. Let me know what you think.**


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